Atlanta Men Crowned National Champs at USTA 9.0 Super Seniors
(L to R): Stephen Duffel, Tom Smith, Dale Quigley, Roger Pearce, Marty Pearson, Larry Saheim, Robin Merriman, Hugh Thomson (Photo:USTA)
Atlanta Men Crowned National Champs at USTA 9.0 Super Seniors
SURPRISE, Ariz., April, 29, 2013 – The men’s team from Atlanta, Ga., representing the USTA Southern Section, captured the national title at the USTA League 9.0 Super Senior National Championships held at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex in Surprise, Arizona.
The Atlanta defeated a team from Laguna Niguel, Calif. 2-1 in the Championship match. Earlier in the day, the Atlanta team defeated a team from Bass River, Mass. 3-0 in the semifinals. They advanced this far by winning their round-robin flight contested Friday and Saturday.
The team is captained by Hugh Thomson and features Stephen Duffel, Tom Smith, Dale Quigley, Roger Pearce, Marty Pearson, Larry Saheim, Robbin Merriman and plays at the Northeast Georgia Tennis Center.
The top four teams in order of finish are: USTA Southern (Atlanta, Ga.), USTA Southern California (Laguna Niguel, Calif.), USTA New England (Bass River, Mass.) and USTA Eastern (Syosset, N.Y.).
This year’s USTA League 9.0 Super Senior National Championship has drawn the top 21 teams, with 13 men’s teams and 8 women’s teams from all of the United States.
USTA League celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2010. Since its inception in 1980, USTA League has grown from 13,000 participants in its first year, to over 820,000 players across the nation today, making it the world’s largest recreational tennis league.
USTA League was established to provide adult recreational tennis players throughout the country with the opportunity to compete against players of similar ability levels. Players participate on teams in a league format, which is administered by the USTA through its 17 Sections. The league groups players by using six National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) levels, ranging from 2.5 (entry) to 5.0 (advanced). USTA League is open to any USTA member 18 years of age or older. It features Adult and Mixed Doubles divisions, as well as a Senior Division (age 50 or older) and a Super Senior Division (age 60 or older).
Beginning with the 2013 National Championship season, USTA League changed its structure and format. The change offers USTA League participants among three age categories (Adult 18 & Over, Adult 40 & Over and Adult 55 & Over and Mixed 18 & Over) to better align participants with players their own age. The restructuring guarantees more frequency of play opportunities at more appropriate age groups.
Head Penn Racquet Sports is in its 26th year as official ball of USTA League.
For more information about USTA League or the USTA as a whole, visit http://www.usta.com.
—S. Pratt
Emirates @USOpen Series National Ticket Sale Campaign Begins March 5, @CitiOpen Presale Begins Today
EMIRATES AIRLINE US OPEN SERIES
NATIONAL TICKET ON SALE CAMPAIGN, TUESDAY, MARCH 5
Tickets to all nine series events can be purchased via www.emiratesusopenseries.com
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., February 25, 2013 – The USTA announced today that tickets for all nine of the 2013 Emirates Airline US Open Series events will be on sale Tuesday, March 5 at 10 a.m. ET through www.emiratesusopenseries.com. This is the first time that Emirates Airline US Open Series events are coordinating their ticket sales. The USTA will support the initiative with a national marketing campaign, as well as a satellite media tour with American teenager Sloane Stephens, who is currently ranked No. 17 in the WTA Rankings.
The 2013 Emirates Airline US Open Series schedule is attached here.
“Coordinating this national ticket on sale campaign for the Emirates Airline US Open Series events is yet another way to unite the tournaments under the Series brand while also allowing tennis fans around the country access to tickets to all of the major summer hard court events leading up to the US Open,” said J. Wayne Richmond, General Manager of the Emirates Airline US Open Series. “We are excited to leverage the platform of Tennis Night in America to promote the Series. The tournaments have all embraced this initiative.”
The national ticket on sale will be held the day after “Tennis Night in America” on March 4 — featuring the BNP Paribas Showdown from New York’s Madison Square Garden and scheduled to include Serena Williams playing Victoria Azarenka in a rematch of the 2012 US Open Final, followed by Rafael Nadal against Juan Martin del Potro. The initiative will also coincide with thousands of Tennis Festivals across the country during the entire month of March, which are designed to welcome whole families to play tennis at all skill levels and to experience first-hand the way in which tennis is now sized right for children.
Now in its 10th season, the Emirates Airline US Open Series continues to serve as a true regular season of hard-court tennis, linking nine summer tournaments to the US Open. Novak Djokovic and Petra Kvitova won the 2012 Emirates Airline US Open Series men’s and women’s titles. In 2007, Roger Federer collected the biggest paycheck in tennis history – $2.4 million – for winning the US Open and the Emirates Airline US Open Series titles. In 2005, Kim Clijsters also captured both the US Open and the Series, winning $2.2 million – the largest purse in women’s sports history – and equaled that amount in 2010, winning the US Open and finishing the Emirates Airline US Open Series in second place.
Also, the CitiOpen has announced a presale for Citi Cardholders from today until March 4. The details are available here and the tournament runs from July 27-August 4.
2012 Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs: Women’s Final Match, Trophy, Press Conference Videos
Yesterday’s final between Madison Keys and Mallory Burdette was a short and furious affair. Keys loves this event, as you would too if you’d won three consecutive Wild Card Playoffs like she has. Keys is headed down under and will arrive on Christmas Day. Check out the other videos on the youtube page while you’re watching.
Wild Card Wunderkind Madison Keys Unlocks Another Main Draw Berth Down Under
Madison Keys
It’s Groundhog day again at the Wild Card Playoffs. Madison Keys won her third straight Playoff event 7-5, 6-3 over Mallory Burdette to once again head to Melbourne as a shoo-in.
The match featured opportunities for both players to win, but it was Keys who pulled away at just the right moments in each set to advance in straights.
Keys and Burdette
“I kind of like these courts! I think I played pretty well on these courts!” she stated, mostly seriously and in good spirits.
On the slow start for both players:
Keys: “I was really kind of anxious and nervous, but when I calmed down and relaxed a little bit, my serve worked better and it got me going into the rhythm.”
On questionable calls today:
Keys: “I lost it a little bit on one of them. You want the point really badly. I think I just had to let it go and move on.”
Keys departs for the Southern hemisphere on December 23. She’ll travel in a posse with Grace Min, Maria Sanchez, Shelby Rogers and Lauren Davis. They’ll land on Christmas Day. This isn’t the first time she’s missed Christmas at home, having played Winter Nationals on a couple of occasions.
Former Stanford All-American and two-time NCAA Doubles Champion Mallory Burdette’s pro career continues to shine, but today, she wished she had Nicole Gibbs out there with her.
To reach the final, Keys beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Alexa Glatch.
In addition to the hardware and the wild card, Keys will earn at least $20,800 just for showing up in Melbourne.
–S. Fogleman
2012 Australian Open Wild Card: Bryan Brothers on Their Future, American Futures, Federer’s Praises
The Bryan Brothers were the celebrity guests of the 2012 Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs. The Brothers are good sports, having devoted their off-seasons to performing in exhibitions and pro-ams. In their December 14 presser, they discuss going out in style at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, their thoughts on the up-and-comers competing in Norcross, and they wistfully recall Roger Federer praising them in Rio to a packed crowd of 1,000 journalists.
Williams/Smyczek To Battle Yet Again, This Time For A Ticket To Melbourne #AOWC #AussieWildCard
Williams/Smyczek To Battle Yet again, This Time For A Ticket To Melbourne
Smyczek with the East Coast Crew
As I predicted earlier in the week (pat-pat), Rhyne Williams and Tim Smyczek will do battle for the third time in post-US Open events, this time in the final of the AO WC. Smyczek has won both previous encounters both on indoor hard courts and they know each other’s games very well. Will the third time be the charm for Williams?
Rhyne is Fine
As for how they won today’s matches, Smyczek eased through 6-2, 6-2 over Tennys Sandgren, who never got a foothold in the match, while Williams had a much tougher time, triumphing 5-7, 7-6, 6-1 over Denis Kudla.
Kudla had the edge for the first half of the match, breaking at the end of a long, tiring first set. After routine holds, he broke for 5-3 in the second and looked like he was headed to the final. Meanwhile, Williams was frustrated and looked mentally out of it, but Kudla did not close the deal when given the chance. The second set went all the way to a tiebreak in which Williams finally found enough consistency in his game to take it.
Slap-Happy Match
It was a slap-happy match with a lot of forehand errors on both sides, multiple instances of repeated mis-hits, and a lot of visible frustration, including audible monologuing and racket tossing from Williams. They also struggled to hit the drop shot and pretty much resorted to trying to pound each other out from the baseline.
In the third, Kudla checked out and played nowhere near the level he had in the first two sets, gifting the match to Williams in a long, bizarre, momentum swing affair. Williams-Kudla was also the only three set match of the weekend on both the men’s and women’s side.
—Steen Kirby
2012 Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs Women’s Semis
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- Wild Card Wunderkind
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- Grace Under Pressure
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- Burdette prevailed in the Battle of Gerogia
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- Alexa dispatched Alison
Surprise, Surprise. Madison Keys finds herself in a third straight Grand Slam Wild Card Final. Today, I asked her if she objected to us calling these things “Madison Keys Invitationals”. As an attorney, I naturally wouldn’t let her answer my own question.
Madison said that she was very proud of her off-season training. The 17-year-old grizzled pro will get another one match shot at a Grand Slam main draw berth tomorrow as a result of the beating she put on Alexa Glatch, 6-0, 6-1 in just 50 minutes.
Mallory Burdette, hardly an old hand herself, is the only thing left in Keys way. They are both ball-pounders. Burdette joked that it will be like playing herself out there tomorrow. I expect three sets and I actually think Burdette stands a good chance to end the teen’s spectacular streak at the playoffs.
Burdette is in due to a grinding win over fellow Atlantan Grace Min, 6-2, 7-6 (7), just one day after finishing off adoptive Atlantan Irina Falconi. Min was in good form this year, especially for a player who didn’t even know she’d be here until five days ago. Remember, Min never even won a game in a first round defeat a year ago at this very same event. This year, she won 20 of them. Burdette’s powerful groundstrokes were too much to overcome for Min, who was gracious in defeat and spent the last hours of the day greeting dozens of old friends and well-wishers around the club.
It’s fitting that this event is held in Norcross, a community where over 90% of the buildings are less than 20 years old. The players fit right in. In fact, the old Racquet Club of the South, at 30, is getting too rusty for this shiny suburb, and Lifetime Fitness has stepped up to give it a facelift, too.
The promised 3 set Final begins at 1 p.m.
And before I forget, thanks for checking out this blog. Like your granddad, we’re not always not always objective nor regular, but we’re pro-American to the end. And unlike some of the Big Old Bad Old Corporate Media, we love and feature American players who are nowhere near the top 30. It’s who we are. We’re not being paid for the big hits, nor are we playing for the big hits. We don’t want your money or for you to click on the silly ad below. We write about who and what we love because we love to do it. Thank You and Happy Holidays.
—S. Fogleman
Bryan Brothers Commit To 2013 BB&T Atlanta Open
Bryans at Norcross
Bryan Brothers Commit To 2013 BB&T Atlanta Open
TOURNAMENT DATE SET FOR JULY 20-28
ATLANTA, December 14, 2012 – The BB&T Atlanta Open announced today that the world’s top-ranked doubles team and Olympic gold medalists Bob and Mike Bryan have committed to play in the tournament next year.
Also, the ATP World Tour 250 event announced the 2013 tournament will be played July 20-28. The BB&T Atlanta Open will be the first men’s event on the 2013 Emirates Airline US Open Series schedule.
The Bryan brothers are among the most accomplished men’s doubles team of all time. Known for their match-clinching chest bumps, the 34-year-old twins recently won their 12th Grand Slam men’s doubles title at the 2012 US Open. That victory broke the record for men’s doubles team in the Open era held by Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge. Overall, the Bryans hold 82 doubles crowns, more than any other men’s doubles team in history.
Bryan Brothers (Photo: Bill Kallenberg)
The Bryans have been the year-end top-ranked team in the world a record eight times, including each of the last four years. They hold a 20-2 Davis Cup record and have won more than $18 million in prize money. Winners of the first US Open Sportsmanship Award, in 2012, they have also been named ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favorite Team from 2005-12.
Tournament Director Bob Bryant said, “We are extremely proud to bring the foremost doubles team in the world to Atlanta. As the top market in the country for doubles league play, we know Atlanta will be excited to watch the Bryans vie for their first BB&T Atlanta Open doubles title. Our wonderful, unique site at Atlantic Station was cited as one of their reasons they really wanted to play in Atlanta.”
BB&T Atlanta Open
For 2013, the tournament’s qualifying rounds are scheduled July 20-21. Main draw matches are set to run from July 22-28. The tournament moves into the week that had been occupied by the Los Angeles tournament, which will move to Bogota, Colombia.
“The schedule change should result in even greater player fields with a longer break after Wimbledon and by being the first of the Emirates Airline US Open Series events. The BB&T Atlanta Open will be the only hard-court tournament on the ATP World Tour that week, drawing more players preparing for America’s Grand Slam,” Bryant added.
—Ron Cioffi, USTA
Denis Kudla on the Treadmill, on Career High Ranking, on 2013 Goals
Washington, D.C.’s Denis Kudla was victorious in his first round match against Chase Buchanan at the 2012 Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs yesterday over Chase Buchanan, a player he has known since he was 8 years old. Denis has reached a career-high ranking of 137, but he’s not obsessed with the numbers. He stated that his 2013 goal is to win his first-ever ATP Tournament.
2012 Australian Open Wild Card: Rhyne Williams, the Luke Skywalker of American Tennis
Rhyne Williams was feeling good yesterday after an opening round win against Daniel Kosakowski at the 2012 Australian Open Wildcard Playoffs in Norcross, Georgia. The former University of Tennessee player noted that he has NEVER been to Australia before. He also mentioned his relief in not having to play Tennys Sandgren today, insisting that it’s never fun to play your best friend in the first round. Finally, he talked about the deep tennis legacy from which he hails.
Rhyne Williams, Tennis Jedi
—Steve Fogleman
